Depend On Me
by ttfan111robstar1
Summary: Dick suffers from Multiple Personality Disoreder. Batman, the Justice League and the Teen Titans will be there to help him through it. Takes place (mostly) after the events of Apprentice (Parts 1 & 2)
1. Pieces

Dick heaved a large sigh as he stared out of the enormous window of his bedroom. It had been three months since his parents had died. Now it was mid-November, and snow was gently falling onto the grounds of Wayne manor. Bruce Wayne lived here. He was the one who adopted him, gave him a home, and made him his partner in crime fighting. Today, however, was different. He was different. Earlier in the day, they'd gone to the psychiatrists, and he'd been diagnosed with multiple personality disorder. It was something he couldn't quite comprehend yet- he was only eight years old- but he knew that there were problems with his memory, and that was enough. They had learned a little about each of the personalities- there was Jack, a Vietnam war veteran, Chris, a powerful CEO, Richie, the "bad-boy", and Christian, a scared, four year old little boy who was deeply religious. He was scared. That was an understatement. Losing time terrified him deeply. Bruce had promised to let him continue as Robin, but only if he'd agree to treatment. He'd agreed immediately.

Today, however, was the most bittersweet day of his life. In the same day that he was diagnosed with this disorder, he was also going to meet the Justice League. He'd been waiting for this day for years, and refused to let his diagnosis ruin it for him. He got up from his window, and started changing into his Robin costume. He looked at himself in the mirror- his hair was messy (although no more than usual.) and his mask was on straight. As far as he was concerned, he was good to go.

He bounded down the stairs, and went behind the grandfather clock in the living room, traveling down, down, down until he finally reached the batcave. He climbed into the teleporter, bouncing up and down. He just couldn't wait! When Batman got into the teleporter, he smiled at him, and made sure he stood extra close to his mentor. There was a flash, then suddenly they were there. The hall of justice. Dick looked around in awe, shocked as they entered the monitor womb. Bruce gave a small smile under his mask. Yes, his son was thrilled, which was what he'd been hoping for. The stress of finding out Dick's condition was taking it's toll on the both of them. It was good to see his son smiling- a true, genuine smile. When they exited the monitor womb, they were greeted with a small pack of heroes- Superman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Green Arrow, and Green Lantern, all of whom were eager to meet Batman's little bird. Dick was thrilled, as Bruce had expected, although when he told his young protégée he had a meeting to attend, Dick had been less than ecstatic. Bruce had laid him down for a nap in his room before coming back to join the meeting. The boy had been getting less sleep lately, and it had started to worry him. He carried on, keeping his emotionless mask in tact, when inside, he worried over the health of his child. Once he entered the meeting, he swept the thoughts into a box and taped it shut. He'd worry over that later.


	2. Need

Dick had been startled from his sleep when his dreams had turned from peaceful to viscious. He whimpered, disoriented for a moment, and wondered where his father was. He shivered as he looked around the dark room. He felt unusually scared- the dark didn't scare him on a normal day. Perhaps he felt unnerved because this room, and this tower was unfamiliar territory, or perhaps it was because this darkness was looming and ominous. It made him feel so much smaller. He wrapped the blanket around his shoulders. He wanted his Daddy. The door slid open, and he made his way down the hall, walking on egg shells. Finally, after a few wrong turns, he found the conference room. Timidly, he knocked on the door. No one answered him, however, for there was a loud commotion going on inside.

He sighed, sensing he wouldn't see Daddy after all, and sat on the floor as he started to cry. He sniffled as he heard the adults quiet down. Batman was the first out, and looked surprised to see his young ward crying on the ground.

"Robin?" He asked. At the sound of his name, Dick's eyes shut, his shoulders tensed, and the voice of his father faded away until he could hear it no more. Batman knelt down to his level, and whispered,

"Dick?" His eyes opened, and he slipped his thumb into his mouth.

"Mm-mm." He shook his head. Batman sighed deeply, and asked gently,

"What's your name?" The boy answered, with a high pitched voice, and a bit of a lisp,

"I'm Christian." Ah, now Bruce understood. Dick must've gotten scared. He glanced at the league, who were all staring at them in disbelief and confusion. Batman picked up his ward, who rested his head on his shoulder. Sniffling, he said, quietly,

"I want my blankie."

"Okay, I'll get it for you." He complied as he rubbed the boy's back soothingly.

"I wannit." He slurred.

"Okay, okay I'll find it."

"Daddy?" He asked.

"Yes, Christian?"

"Can you read me my favorite story?"

"Sure."

"The one 'bout Jesus feeding a lotta people." The boy was almost asleep. The Bat heard him mumble the beginnings of what he thought to be a Hail Mary, before his eyes shut. Batman laid the young boy back in his room before coming back to face the league. The members of the justice league were smart enough not to question the dark knight, but waited for the situation to be explained by him.

He called the league into conference (with only the original seven in the room) and removed his mask with a sigh. They all waited silently.

"Dick was diagnosed with Dissociative Identity Disorder this afternoon." There was a quiet intake of breath around the room. Flash raised his hand.

"Uhh... What's that?"

"Multiple personalities."

"Oh..." Diana put a hand on his shoulder. "Bruce, we had no idea..."

"Yes," said Clark quietly, "If there's anything we can do..."

"No. I can handle it. I just thought you all deserved to know." They all nodded in quiet consensus. Bruce left the room a short time later to check on "Christian". He poked his head through the door. "Christian" lay under the sheets, sucking his thumb gently. His face however, showed more distress. The boy let out a soft whine before turning over in the bed. Bruce watched him intently. Slowly, the whines turned to whimpers, and the whimpers to small cries. Bruce sat on the bed with him, waiting until he woke up. The wait was extremely short. "Christian" shot up in bed, wailing loudly. Bruce set the boy in his lap, letting him cry into his chest. He hushed him quietly, Patting his back and humming softly.

"Daddy..." He sniffled, with a whine.

"It's okay, Christian. I'm here." He handed the boy what he assumed to be his blanket. It was red and small, but Christian cuddled it close to him as he sucked his thumb.

"Do you still want to hear that story?" He nodded vigorously.

Christian listened in rapture as Bruce relayed what little he knew about Jesus feeding the five thousand. It was less than enough, but the boy didn't seem to care. Soon, he was calmed and curling up in Bruce's lap.

"Mommy liked to read me stories 'bout Jesus." He said quietly. Bruce raised an eyebrow. Dick never spoke of his parents- it was an unspoken law. But perhaps Christian could tell him more.

"What else do you remember about Mommy?" Christian blinked, and sighed.

"Mommy liked flowers. She liked reading me bedtime stories. An' she always laughed. A lot. An'- An'... I miss her..." He was crying quietly at the end. Bruce leaned the child against his chest, albeit guiltily. Christian clung to his chest, gripping a fistful of his shirt. This was the first time, thought Bruce, that he'd ever seen the boy go this long without sucking his thumb. His eyes shut, and Bruce went completely still.

"Daddy?" Bruce sighed in relief.

"Welcome back, Dick."

Bruce carried Dick down the hall, still a bit wary as to how his body would react after a transition. Dick clung to his father's chest, both scared and confused. He was quiet, which was understandable yet concerning to Bruce. Dick had always been a very talkative, bubbly child. It was a rare thing to see him silent. It raised an invisible alarm to Bruce. His son was not alright. It was now dinner time, and most of the heroes had dispersed throughout the building to eat. It was the opportune time for Bruce to be alone with his son. He sat on the couch with Dick in his lap, holding him quietly for a moment. It was a much-needed fragment of peace. Bruce stroke his son's hair, enjoying the quiet. Dick curled into his father, scared stiff. He couldn't remember anything that had happened. But right now, he felt calmer, because he knew Bruce was there, and wouldn't let him go.

It would be years later, after he joined the Teen Titans that he would understand just how much he needed that.


	3. After Effects

Over time, Dick had learned how to hide, and to some extent control, his personalities. He knew how to hide when he switched, and he knew how to pick things up right where they'd left off. It was getting easier, he thought. So on the fateful day that he chose to leave for jump city, he thought he had it under control. He went out and formed his new team, and spoke honestly to them about his disorder. Some of the alters had told him it was the right thing to do. The Titans accepted it, and moved on, like it wasn't real. Like he wasn't split into pieces, like he knew he was.

The alters never came out in Jump- perhaps they were hiding? Yes, that was possible. He had been fighting with the Titans a year when Slade had captured him and made him his apprentice. From the moment he'd had to don that unholy uniform, Jack had taken over. When the situation got tough, he made sure he was tougher. He was out for a whole two weeks. Dick, having started to experience co-consciousness with his alters, had watched the whole thing, and had even tried to intervene at points. The only time he had succeeded was to tell Slade something that he himself needed to hear as much as Slade did.

"I already have a father." He looked up to see Bats circling overhead.

When Dick had run and gotten himself infected with nanoprobes, he didn't know what he'd been thinking. Or perhaps, more accurately, Who had been thinking. In any event, it had freed him and his friends, and that was what mattered. After the five of them had flown back to the tower and had gotten the probes out of themselves, the fear and panic had finally set for him. He excused himself to his room, and dashed inside, the familiar drowning feeling taking over his chest. His eyes shut slowly and his hands contracted once before opening again, revealing innocent eyes that began welling up with fresh tears. It was Christian, the one who always came out when Dick was hurting. He crawled over to the bed and reached over for a shoebox. He pulled a black communicator out, and pushed the button closest to the short antenna. A flickering batsignal said that his call was being placed, and he waited quietly, shaking and crying.

Hundreds of miles away, Bruce Wayne sat stoically in the Batcave, looking through the Batcomputer's criminal database. He was interrupted by a beeping sound. He ignored it, but it didn't stop. Where was it coming from? He looked to the other side of the computer to see his communicator flashing. Curiously, he flipped it on and was shocked to See Dick's peaked face on the screen.

"Dick?" He said in surprise.

"Daddy..." Said the pitiful little voice, and he immediately knew it wasn't Dick talking.

"What happened, Christian?" He asked gently. The boy dissolved into tears.

"I need you." He choked out. It was then that he realized the batsignal was out. The amount of conflict he felt was exhausting. Finally he said, in a quiet voice,

"I can be there tomorrow. Do you need someone there right now?" He asked. Christian nodded harshly.

"Okay. I'll see if Auntie Diana or Uncle Clark can come and see you." Christian's expression raised a bit, and he nodded.

"Bye, Tată." He said quietly. He quickly sent a message to the league, before loading into the bat mobile and taking off for the night.


	4. Aunts and Uncles

Back at Titans tower, the others were left dumbfounded as their leader took off running. This was unprecedented, but they really should have expected something of that nature after seeing all Robin had been through. They decided to leave him be the rest of the night, assuming he just needed time to process things. It wasn't until half of the justice league- including Roy and Wally- showed up at their door that they began to worry.

Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, and Flash, along with Roy and Wally, headed wordlessly to Dick's room. The amount of confusion, particularly Beast Boy's, escalated to immense proportions. Superman entered the room first, followed quickly by Diana, then Roy and Wally, and finally Barry and Hal. They saw the Boy Wonder, sobbing in a ball- ah yes, this was Christian indeed. Diana came over and stroked his hair. Between sobs, he murmured,

"Hi Auntie Diana..." Superman sat next to her, Roy and Wally, the side he faced, and Hal and Barry sat at the foot of the bed. The boy was encircled by those who loved him most- save one person.

"We're here now, Christian." Said Clark quietly.

"Yeah, man." Said Roy.

"And if you need us..." Started Wally.

"... We're here," Said Barry.

"Always." Added Hal. Christian nodded, sniffling as tears streamed down his face.

"I-I have to tell you guys somethin'" he said quietly. "What is it?" Asked Diana. Christian looked Wally and Roy right in the eyes.

"There's someone else here..." He said. "Someone Bad."

"Who?" Asked the Man Of Steel. Christian shook his head as the fresh tears came anew. Suddenly he stopped crying. His eyes shut, and his head tilted back as he turned onto his back. When his eyes should have opened, they stayed shut, until he began shaking.

"I apologize." Said a female voice, "My poor Christian is too upset to be out right now."

"And you are...?" Asked Roy hesitantly.

"My name is Charlotte."

"Is Christian your son?" Asked Barry.

"Yes." She replied weakly.

"I was made just after him, so that he could have a mother." She coughed harshly.

"Why are you sick?" Asked Wally.

"He is making us sick... He is trying to kill Dick through us."

"Who is he?" Wondered Hal. Fantine shook her head.

"He is nameless. He appeared after..." She was quiet. "Jack will tell you more than I can." She coughed. "All I know is h-he-" more coughing "- tried to kill Dick, but I got in the way..."

Suddenly Charlotte was gone, and Jack had come out. Roy could tell by the disgusted look on his face.

"What do you want?"

"What happened to create him?" Asked Wally.

"Welp, I might as well tell ya since y'all are here already. Old Dickie-Bird got roped into being an apprentice for that piece of shit Slade." There was an unnerving silence, so Jack continued "Yup. The man done tricked Dick's friends into thinking he'd made some contraption that stops time or whatever. Then, this big ol' guy cinder block came on over and got Dickie by himself. But that ol' contraption doo-hickey he set up was a trap. The damn thing blew up and infected all a' young Dickie's new friends with some 'nanoscopic probe' bullshit that'd kill his friends unless Dickie done did whatever thing he asked."

"How did he get out?" Whispered Diana in shock.

"He done went and infected himself with those probes. Well, I did, anyways. I told him 'If I lose my friends, you lose your apprentice. And I know how you hate to lose.' They got home and got the probes out, so y'all don't have to worry about that." Everyone stared as Jack's tale finished. The remaining question of 'who was he?' Still lingered in the air, but was cut off by Dick's eyes shutting again.

"Christian, it's so cold. Come to me, Christian, the light is fading... Come to me, and rest against my shoulder... Let me hold you close before the life I lead is over..."

"Charlotte," said Clark quietly, "Christian isn't here." She looked to the bookshelf above where Roy and Wally sat.

"Christian, where did you go?!" She shrieked. She tried to sit up, but was brought down by the pain in her chest. She took a rasping breath. "Tell Christian I love him And I'll see him when I wake..." And just like that, Charlotte had passed away before their very eyes.

Immediately, Dick's body shot up from bed and Christian let out a heart-wrenching wail. Everyone leapt to their feet and went over to hush him. Diana and Clark were the first to get to him. The boy cried and wailed until he couldn't breathe anymore. He wanted his father to come and hold him, no one else. He loved his Aunties and Uncles a lot, but he loved his Daddy much more than anyone could ever understand. No amount of patting or hushing could calm him down. It was a good thing his bedroom was soundproof, because Superman doubted the thing the Teen Titans wanted to hear at 2AM was the shrieks of an inconsolable child. Christian grabbed the communicator that sat on Dick's bedside table and tried calling Batman again.

Meanwhile, in Gotham City, Batman was in the middle of fighting a small gang when his communicator rang. He answered with a grunt. He nearly stopped short when he heard Christian's quavering voice on the other end.

"Daddy?" Said a tearful voice. He quickly took out the leader of the Gang with a roundhouse kick.

"Yes, Christian?" He said softly, not wanting to frighten the boy.

"When are you coming back?" It broke Bruce's heart to hear the child cry. He leapt into the Batmobile without waiting for Commissioner Gordon to see the crooks off. It could wait. His son needed him.

"I'm on my way, alright?" He said, speeding in the direction of Jump City.

"Okay... Bye Daddy..."

"Goodbye, Christian." Batman hung up the communicator and used the Batmobile's biggest speed boost. He lurched back in his seat and was propelled forward faster than ever before. He had to get to his son. He just had to.


	5. Plan

**A/N: Just a warning- there is excessive cussing in this chapter. Hope you all are enjoying the story!**

It was an hour later when Bruce arrived at Titans Tower. He passed the security without a second glance and headed straight for his son's room. The Bat entered less than ominously and headed straight for his son. Christian took one look at the Caped Crusader, and his eyes shut. It was Jack who emerged.

"I got a bone to pick with you, bat boy." He said gruffly.

"Where's Christian?" Asked the impatient bat.

"He'll be back in a few minutes. Come on, let's go out for a smoke."

"I don't smoke."

"Yeah? Well I do. Come on." Jack led an irritated bat to the front of the tower, leaving six stunned heroes in his wake.

Jack went out by the ocean, and lit himself a cigarette.

"What's this about?" Asked Batman. Jack looked at him for a long minute before saying:

"I ain't too happy with how long it took you to get here. I oughta rip your balls out your bung-hole, and I would too if this were my body, but it ain't so i'll be quick. If it were me, or Dickie, or Chris askin' I understand why you'd take your time, but when Christian asks for you, you run your ass over here as fast as you can get here." The bat attempted to interject, but Jack continued, clearly on a roll. "Do you know why Christian was created? Or why I was?" Bruce shook his head no. "When Dickie was about four, his parents couldn't afford him for a while, so he went and lived in a catholic orphanage for a while. The people there done beat the shit outta him- made him wish he wasn't never born. So he made Christian to carry his hurt and take the beatings, and me to be strong for him. He went back to that circus about three months later, and there we were." Bruce was too stunned to speak. "Look, we all try and help him, Chris and Charlotte did it a while, but she died tonight. Chris does the best he can, but Christian always wants you. I don't care how you treat the rest of us, but that boy- that _baby_ needs you. All I'm saying is that when he needs you, it's pretty fucking important. Got that, mister wing man?" Bruce nodded with quiet anger.

It was then that Christian resurfaced. Upon seeing the face of his father, he burst into tears. The Dark Knight quickly cradled the sobbing boy in his arms, rocking him and hushing him whenever he saw fit. Sadly, the boy's wailing continued, showing no sign of stopping. Batman knew all of the rooms were soundproof, so he carried the wailing boy back to his room without worry. If the members of the JLA were still there, he didn't know, but that might have been because of the soundproof rooms. He held the young boy tightly to his chest, letting his costume be washed in tears. He pressed Christian protectively to his chest. The boy quivered in his arms, clinging to his father's shirt. His sobs turned to small gasps, then into hiccups. He stuck his thumb in his mouth and began to suck it determinedly.

Bruce carried him to his room and laid him on the bed. The others, according to the security cameras they'd passed, had converged in the living room. As soon as Christian touched the bed, he started to squirm, whimpering and reaching up for his father. Bruce laid the boy in his lap. It didn't seem likely that Christian was going to let him go anytime. Bruce watched as his son wriggled around and grabbed his beloved blanket. His thumb never left his mouth, and he always kept physical contact with his father. The terror in the child's eyes shook Bruce to the core. He held the child close and hushed him, and eventually Christian calmed down.

"Christian," said Bruce in the sweetest tone he could conjure, "What's wrong?" Christian took a shaky breath.

"There's someone new here. Someone bad." He buried his face in his father's side, scared.

"You mean another alter?" Christian nodded.

"Chris wants to talk to you." Bruce raised his eyebrows in surprise, but nodded. Christian shut his eyes. When they opened again, the shoulders that were once haunched in and childish became erect, clearly the posture of a powerful man.

"Batman." Chris nodded. "You know that I control all the alters, and essentially take care of the brood. Unfortunately, my knowledge of this new alter is very limited. It is dark and evil, and is trying to kill Dick through us. Slade was the basis on which he was made, but I know nothing more than that. I don't even know if it's human... That being said, we cannot be too cautious. Jack and I can handle ourselves against him, but this leaves Christian very exposed. He's just a little boy, Bruce. He isn't able to take this on. That's why we need you, and the JLA to help us."

"What do you need?" Bruce asked, carefully.

"With Jack and I battling this... Thing, it will either be Christian or Dick out. Dick can take care of himself, but Christian can't. Someone needs to be here for when he comes out, because the Titans haven't seen him, and even if they did you know Christian would never trust them. He needs people he knows, and he especially needs you. What I'd like to do is have at least one person from the JLA here at all times. Whenever you can, get here or be as accessible as you can. It's the only way to help him. Are we agreed?" Chris extended a hand, and Bruce shook it.

"I'll talk to the league. Can you stay long enough for me to go do that?" Chris nodded.

Bruce pulled on his cowl and wordlessly left the room, the only sound coming from the swish of his cape.


	6. Small Shocks

The members of the Justice League of America considered themselves a family. They were long since used to Dick's Rapid and often sudden transitions. Bruce, as expected, always acted according to who came out. Naturally, when they'd heard (through Superman's incredible hearing) the cries of Christian, they knew he wouldn't be out for a while. Therefore, the JLA converged on the couch of the Teen Titans to await Batman's update. When Batman did come out, he looked understandably exhausted, but incredibly defeated. Every member of the JLA was on the edge of their seats. Whenever Batman spoke, it was perhaps more important than the speakings of any other member. His seriousness, incredible focus, and work ethic made him easily the most intimidating. He stood behind the Titans' coffee table before he spoke.

"After Christian calmed down, Chris came out to speak to me. He told me that he has no knowledge of what this dark thing is, let alone if it's human or not. He told me that he and Jack would try and fight it from the inside. Consequentially, that leaves only Dick and Christian Left. While Dick can handle himself, Christian is incredibly dependent, and I'm not comfortable with just leaving him here. You all know that I can't be here all the time, but Chris was adamant about having someone here that Christian knows. He suggested taking shifts. If you're called on, someone else can step in. If it gets ugly, you all know how to reach me." Even under the cowl, the change in expression of Bruce's face was noticeable. "I know this is asking a lot of you, and I wouldn't ask if I wasn't concerned for Dick's safety. I know you all care about him, and that's what he needs right now."

The soft way he ended the speech threw everyone for a loop. They looked to each other, similar thoughts of the amount of desperation it took for Bruce to (for lack of a better term) grovel for their help. Well, it wasn't exactly groveling, but it was as close as Bruce would ever get. Diana stood first.

"Of course we'll help, Bruce." Clark quickly followed.

"It would be our pleasure." The others nodded their assent. Although he would vehemently deny it, the corners of Bruce's mouth twitched into the ghost of a smile.

When Bruce went back to Dick's room, Chris had stayed as promised. His lips tipped up into a satisfied smile, as if he already knew that his proposal had been accepted. He shut his eyes, and was gone in an instant. It was Dick who emerged to a stern yet concerned Batman standing in front of him. His eyebrows shot up in surprise. In retrospect, he should have seen this coming. He knew a transition was coming when he was last conscious. It would have been unsurprising to hear one of his alters call Batman.

In a tangle of emotions, he had a dozen viewpoints scattered around in his mind. He could have felt betrayed that despite all he'd done he still needed Batman. He could have felt frightened that he'd lost enough time for his adoptive father to get here. He could have felt angry that a part of him still needed a parent.

Yes, Dick Grayson could have felt all these emotions, but the one feeling that coursed through him was relief that made him sag forward. He didn't have to put on a façade and pretend like he was alright. He didn't have to make light of everything that happened. He could afford the luxury of taking off the mask and being just Dick Grayson, and know that that was enough.

"Hi Dad." He whispered. Batman sat beside his partner and waited. Slowly, Dick peeled off his domino mask, and in one foul swoop became a normal person. Bruce, in a reciprocal gesture, removed his cowl. "I guess one of the others told you about it." He said, dully. Bruce was quiet, choosing his words carefully.

"I want to know what happened to you, Dick. What the others told me doesn't matter. What happened to you as an individual is what concerns me now." Dick looked up at his father with a silent plea for understanding, and a layer of guilt coating his eyes. Bruce gave him a slight nod, and it was all the encouragement Dick needed to start talking.

"There are always arch foes for every hero. Superman and Lex Luthor, you and The Joker, Spiderman and Venom... You get the idea. When I moved here I met mine. His name is Slade. From the first crime he committed I knew that he was incredibly intentional with his work. He was clever, devious, and always tried to be one step ahead. As time went on, he started focusing more on me. He kept talking about how alike we were... And it was terrifying. One day, he threatened us with a chronoton detonator. He distracted me with another villain. When I won I found a GPS that had a map to Slade's lair. I went, and thought I had him. But he had me. The chronoton detonator was a fake, and he shot my team up with nanoscopic probes. He could destroy them from the inside out with the push of a button... And he blackmailed me into becoming his apprentice. When I put the uniform on, Jack took over, but I watched from the inside..." He shivered at the memory. Bruce put an arm over his shoulders, and the small act of affection surprised him. "Aren't you mad at me?"

Bruce looked down at his son, seeing the distress on his face.

"Dickie, I'm not mad at you. When I saw the security tapes of you stealing the thermal blaster, I knew it was Jack in control. I knew there was a reason for what was going on and planned on calling, but Christian called first. Son, I could never be mad at you. You did what you thought was best for the sake of your friends, and you outsmarted Slade in the end. If anything, I'm proud of you."

Dick looked up at his surrogate father in surprise. The words of praise were ones seldom heard, and he savored them for everything they were worth. The joy that burst in his heart was overwhelming, and it took all his training to control himself. It was an instance of his cast-iron will failing him, and he hugged his father tightly.

"I'm scared." He whispered. "He made me steal from you. It was like he was forcing me to hurt you. I'm terrified that he knows who you are... And I feel terrible, because I should have known better than to fall into that trap in the first place. You trained me better than that, and I let you down." He looked up at Bruce, looking innocent and genuinely frightened. It took Bruce a minute to remember that he was dealing with Dick and not Christian.

"Dick, never in my eight years of knowing you have you ever let me down. I'm so proud of everything you've done, and even if we've had our differences, it doesn't change the fact that you're my son first, partner second."

Hearing the words alleviated some secret weight from Dick's shoulders. For a long time he'd always thought Batman considered him his sidekick. To hear the word "partner" was a monumental step up from what he believed. He smiled up at his father, a true, genuine grin, and was surprised to see Bruce return it. He pulled his Father into his arms, and whispered,

"Thank you." Bruce wrapped his arms around his son, flashing back to the times when Dick had been eight years old and had had a nightmare. He held onto his son a bit longer than normal before letting him go.

"You're welcome." He said, a rare smile crossing his features. "Now, let me catch you up to speed on what you've missed..."


End file.
